1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a medical X-ray examination device of the type having a base, a guide rail attached to the base, a first truck attached to the guide rail and movable along the guide rail, an X-ray exposure system attached to the first truck, and a patient support mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
German OS 198 49 091 discloses an X-ray examination device with two trucks to which a transillumination image converter and an exposure image converter are attached, respectively.
German OS 99 27 480, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,386,453 and 5,822,814 and European Application 0 877 538 disclose multi-functional X-ray diagnostic devices which allow a number of different X-ray examinations to be implemented. The devices disclosed by German OS 199 27 480, U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,814 and European Application 0 877 538 have a base to which a horizontal guide rail is attached and a truck attached to and movable along the guide rail, an X-ray exposure system being attached to the truck. The X-ray exposure system according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,814 and European Application 0 877 538 is implemented with a C-arm with opposite ends at which an X-ray radiator and an X-ray detector are arranged, respectively. A large region of the patient lying on a patient bearing mechanism can be reached with the X-ray exposure system by means of the truck movable along the guide rail.
According to an embodiment in European Application 0 877 538, the patient support mechanism is attached to the same truck and is longitudinally displaceable together with the X-ray exposure system.
In the known X-ray diagnostic systems, the number of possible X-ray examinations is limited or some X-ray examinations are possible only using a less user-friendly operating mode.
An object of the present invention is to provide a multi-functional X-ray diagnostic device of the type initially described wherein the number of possible X-ray examinations is increased and the user-friendliness and accessibility to the patient by attenuating personnel are improved.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention in an X-ray examination device of the type initially described which additionally has a second truck attached to the guide rail and movable along the guide rail, the patient support mechanism being attached to this second truck via a boom.
As used herein xe2x80x9ctruckxe2x80x9d means any element movable along a guide rail, for example a carriage or a rider. The X-ray exposure system contains, for example, image-generating components such as an X-ray tube, and X-ray film or some other X-ray detector in the X-ray examination device, particularly an imaging X-ray examination device.
In the X-ray examination device of the invention, the X-ray exposure system as well as the patient support mechanism with a patient bed can be displaced in the longitudinal direction. For a specific examination, thus, the operating personnel are free to decide whether the X-ray exposure system or the patient bearing mechanism is displaced. For angiography examinations, for example, it is standard and desirable to move the patient support table into the proper position. For an examination in the abdominal/intestinal region, by contrast, it is desirable to adjust the X-ray exposure system in longitudinal direction. Both types of positioning are possible with the X-ray examination device of the invention, so that a greater number of examinations is possible and the user-friendliness is enhanced for the personnel. The multi-functionality is thus improved.
The base is preferably height-adjustable.
The two trucks preferably are driven independently of one another. To this end, a first drive device for moving the first truck and a second drive device for moving the second truck are present, the drive devices being implemented such that the two trucks can be driven independently of one another.
In a preferred version, a stationary spindle with a first spindle nut and with a second spindle nut is provided for realizing the independent drives, the first drive device being a first drive motor arranged at the first truck for driving the first spindle nut, and the second drive device being a second drive motor arranged at the second truck for driving the second spindle nut.
In another preferred version, two spindles that are respectively driven by separate drive motors are employed. Thus, the first drive device has a first drive motor for driving a first spindle acting on the first truck, and the second drive device has a second drive motor for driving a second spindle acting on the second truck. Respective spindle nuts are arranged in the first and second trucks.
According to a preferred development of the multi-functional X-ray examination device, the guide rail is secured to be base so as to be rotatable around a horizontal axis. The guide rail preferably is rotatable by xc2x190xc2x0 relative to the horizontal. The rotatability assures that examinations can also be carried at a standing patient. As a result, the number of possible X-ray examinations, i.e. the multi-functionality, is advantageously enhanced even further.
There are limits placed on the length of the guide rail since the X-ray device would occupy a large spacexe2x80x94which often is not presentxe2x80x94in the examination room given a longer guide rail. Particularly for a guide rail rotated by xc2x190xc2x0, i.e. for a standing examination of the patient, the height of the room places limits on the length of the guide rail.
A range of displacement of the second truck at the guide rail is preferably greater than 1.0 m, particularly greater than 1.2 m.
According to a preferred embodiment of the X-ray examination device, the X-ray exposure system has a C-arm with opposite ends an X-ray radiator and an X-ray detector are arranged. As a result, the number of possible X-ray examinations is advantageously enhanced even further. For a prone patient, thus, above-table examinations, i.e. examinations with the X-ray radiator arranged above the patient, as well as below-table examinations, i.e. examinations with the X-ray radiator arranged under the patient bed, are possible.
The X-ray exposure system equipped with a C-arm is also particularly advantageous for angiography examinations.
According to another preferred embodiment, the boom can be extended in telescoping fashion.
According to an especially preferred embodiment, the X-ray examination device has an operating handle for moving a support plate of the patient support mechanism, with a force sensor arranged at the operating handle, which supplies a force-proportional electrical output signal to a control unit that generates a force-dependent control signal for a drive motor acting on the support plate. Independently of the motion of the support plate, this embodiment also can be employed in other drive systems wherein an arbitrary object should be capable of being driven by a motor and should also be capable of being moved relatively freely by an operator. For example, it is thus possible for the operator to simulate a floating support plate or tabletopxe2x80x94particularly for angiographic examinationsxe2x80x94, i.e. a support plate that is only borne in or on a roller or slide system in the horizontal plane, without having to be coupled to a motor. In accordance with the invention, this operating possibility is enhanced by a force-sensitive or acceleration-sensitive operating handle. The control unit and the drive motor convert the force that the operator exerts on the operating handle into an actual acceleration of the support plate.